The Doctor and Her Cowboy
by reddneckin
Summary: Lindsay never thought she would ever come back to Alaska, but a telephone call from an old friends son put her on a plane bound for Anchorage from Tallahassee. When her old high school flame shows up, she has some news that will knock him off his feet.


Dr Lindsay West sat in the back of a cab headed to the hospital in Anchorage. She had gotten a call earlier in the week that a dear old friend of her dad's, Phil Harris, had suffered a stroke.

"Lindsay, we need you here, " Josh said, " I think dad would like to see you, plus, well, I am scared. This Dr that we have been talking to says that you are the best neurologist in the country."

She told Josh that she would be on the next flight out of Tallahassee. She fingered a locket that she never took off. Inside was a picture that was taken of them right after graduation. She took the necklace off, opened the locket and stared at the photo. She wondered if he still looked like that. God he was sexy as hell back then. "Well, he's probably fat old and grey headed by now. " She thought to herself.

"Here we are ma'm. " The cab driver opened the back door and Lindsay stepped out. She had forgotten how cold it was here. Living in Florida for 30 plus years, winter was more a mild warm front than anything else.

"Well, look at you" Living in the south, she had developed a very thick southern drawl. She reached up to give Jake Harris a hug. "I haven't seen you since you were in diapers" Jake gave that still shy smile of his. "How's your daddy?" Lindsay asked as they boarded the elevator. "Not good" Tears welled up in Jake's eyes. "This is my fault" The elevator doors opened and they headed for Phil's room.

"Look dad, look whose here" Josh stood up and wrapped his arms around Lindsay. He had always secretly had a crush on her, but she was too old for him.

"How are ya sugar" Lindsay patted Josh's face and smiled. "You know you always have been a hot little thing, got lotsa girls chasin you" Josh smiled and nodded his head, "well yeah" Lindsay patted his face, "Don't be stupid"

She walked over and bent to kiss Phil on the top of the head.

"How you feelin" Phil looked up and mouthed, "I'm alive."

Lindsay walked toward the door. "I am going to find the other doctors. I will be back to talk to you guys in a little bit"

She was walking down the hall, really not paying all that much attention to who or what was around her. She looked up, and at the end of the hall was a figure she recognized. He had his back to her, but she would recognized that 6ft frame anywhere. He was wearing a black jacket with the Time Bandit logo on the back, ball cap backwards as always, and those damn cowboy boots. That's what made her start calling him her cowboy. She never called him by his name, unless she was pissed with him, just cowboy. She got closer, and could feel her heart pounding in her throat, "Just keep walking Lindsay, don't even look at him, just keep walking"

Jonathan had been up for over 30 hours, and was tired. He was standing at the coffee pot pouring yet another cup. He had just left the hospital chapel, where he had been spending the majority of his time, praying for Phil and his family. Josh had said that the family had contacted a specialist that was suppose to be flying in today. "Probably another smart ass know it all" He thought to himself. He pulled the cup up to his mouth to take a swig, and almost dropped it. No way could that be her. She had left without a word to him over 30 years ago.

Lindsay was not paying attention and almost bumped right into him.

"Well, I 'll be damned. " Jonathan still had that gruff scratchy voice. Lindsay looked up at him, he had not changed much at all.

"What brings you to town". Jonathan stood there looking at her in a state of disbelief.

"Josh called and asked me to come. I was on my way to the conference room, but I guess I got turned around"

Jonathan pointed to a room to their left. Lindsay looked embarrassed, and turned to go in.

She sat down at the table with the two other doctors, Phil's brother and sister and the two boys. Jonathan came in and sat down right beside her.

"Ok, I have reviewed all the blood work, and CAT scan films. I don't know how to tell you two this, but I don't see your dad living through the day. "

"But I thought that they said he was better, he was sitting up talking" Josh looked at her and shook his head. "Maybe I should have called someone else. I didn't expect this from you of all people" He shoved his chair back and left the room" Lindsay explained to Jake and the rest of the people seated around the table that Phil was saying goodbye.

Josh had left to get his fathers lucky necklace and was almost to his hotel when his phone rang. He answered it, it was the hospital telling him that his dad had another episode and he needed to come back as quick as he could.

Lindsay was standing outside of Phil's room. The words that he had spoken to her earlier that day haunted her.

"Come here I gotta tell you something" Phil patted the side of the bad for Lindsay to sit down. "Jonathans a stubborn ass. He never got over you. Since you left he has not been the same person. You need to talk to him, you two belong together and you both know it. Now, go find him, and find me a damn cigarette"

Josh came out of his dad's room sobbing. Lindsay heard the monitor beeping and knew that it was over. Phil was gone.

Lindsay walked off the elevator and out the front door. It was getting dark, colder and it was starting to snow. Propping one leg against the wall, she leaned back and closed her eyes. She heard the door open and looked up. Jonathan was coming out, crying like a baby. Phil meant a lot to him.

"You okay," She asked.

"Yeah, I guess. " He wiped his eyes and looked at her. Even after all these years, she was still beautiful. "Can I ask you a question."

"Sure, I guess" Lindsay shivered, and rubbed her arms.

"Why the hell did you leave? Without a word, no goodbye Jonathan, no explanations, you just left"

He threw his hands up and turned to walk back inside.

"I was pregnant that day" He turned and looked at her. " You know, the day that I left, I went to your house to tell you and found you in bed with Pam. I was coming to tell you that we were having a baby"

Lindsay walked right past him, back inside.

Jonathan sat on the edge of his bed, taking a drag off the ever present Winston in his hand. He had promised Phil that he would quit. That's not all he'd promised. He bent down and pulled a box out from under the bed. Taking the lid off, he picked up the picture that laid on top. It was a picture of him and Lindsay that his brother Mike had made of them right before or after they graduated, he could not remember. He picked up a letter that had been in the box xo long the postmark was smeared. He ripped it open and read .

Jonathan, I just wanted to let you know I am leaving. I went to your house today to let you know you are going to be a father, but you were busy, screwing the hell out of my best friend.

He stopped reading, picked up his keys and walked out to his truck.

It was starting to snow harder. The boys had left the hospital, and Lindsay had called a cab. She stood on the sidewalk , freezing, sobbing wishing that damn cab would come on. Finally, she looked up and saw the yellow car turning into the hospital parking lot. She started to cross the street, and was almost hit by a maniac in a black chevy truck. Jonathan slammed on the brakes and jumped out.

"Where the hell are you going" He pulled the hood of his jacket over his head.

"Home," She looked at him with those piercing green eyes of hers. Those eyes had gotten him into trouble more than once.

" SO that's it, you are just leaving, again. You drop a damn bombshell on me. Where's my kid"

" I had a miscarriage three weeks after I got to Florida. I lost the baby"

"Hey lady, I cant wait all day" The yellow cab driver honked his horn"

Jonathan looked down at Lindsay, even after all these years, he still loved her.

"So, are you leaving"

Lindsay looked up at him as tears welled up in her eyes, "Unless you give me a reason to stay."

To Be Continued


End file.
